6: Haute Couture

The pleasant heat of sunlight warming her cheek half-roused Rikku from her slumber. She sighed and tried to burrow back into her blankets, but the painful crick in her back managed to complete the job of waking her up.

"Oww," Rikku mumbled, rubbing her neck and sitting up slowly. "Either Brother's been hiding rocks in my bed or I've been camping out again…" She opened her eyes and blinked once, then twice, and her good mood evaporated. "Oh poopie," she sighed, taking in her surroundings. So it wasn't a dream after all.

Yuna's bed was already neatly made, and the little girl was nowhere to be found. The curtains had been drawn back, and the rising sun pooled light on the floor around Rikku's makeshift pile of blankets. She blinked and rubbed her eyes again, and then gasped. "Oh my gosh, it's so late! Auron's gonna kill me!" He had always been a stickler for strict schedules during Yuna's Pilgrimage, and she remembered his early-morning lectures to her and Tidus all too well.

Scrambling out of the bed, she grabbed her daggers and attempted to comb her fingers through her messy hair before giving up. She snatched her shoes off the floor and through a miracle of dexterity managed to open the door while sliding a foot into her boot at the same time. Unfortunately, the miracle was short lived and resulted in Rikku hop-crashing into the wall of the outside hallway before falling gracelessly onto her butt. "Ouchie…" she hissed, peeking into the living room to see if anyone had witnessed her moment of clumsiness.

"I can't believe you're a Guardian." Auron's voice was full of scorn and Rikku winced in dismay. Then she relaxed as she heard Jecht respond, realizing that the comment wasn't directed towards her. In fact, her presence hadn't even been detected yet. Pushing herself to her knees, she crawled forward and spied on the two arguing men.

"Well, excuse me," the blitzball player said gruffly. "So we don't have any Summoners in Zanarkand. Big deal!"

Auron was pacing in front of Jecht, looking even grumpier than Lulu before her morning cup of tea. "Zanarkand is the holy city of Summoners. You do realize you're destroying any credibility you have every time you open your mouth."

"I don't see why you're gettin' so worked up over this. So we guard Braska long enough for him to beat down this Sin thing! Seems pretty simple to me. The way you talk, you make it sound like somebody's gonna die!"

Auron's silence was telling, but apparently Jecht wasn't that bright, at least not in the morning. Rikku also noticed that for all his fervor, Auron couldn't be bothered to explain the actual purpose of Braska's Pilgrimage. Or perhaps he simply couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

"Stop worryin' about it already," Jecht added with a loud laugh. "Now that I'm playin' on your team, this Pilgrimage is gonna be a breeze!"

"How very reassuring," Auron deadpanned. Then he turned and looked at the tuft of yellow hair that was poking over the corner of the wall. "Glad you finally decided to join us," he said to Rikku, who giggled and scrambled to her feet.

"Umm… good morning!" Rikku said, giving the two men a cheerful wave. "Where's Braska and Yunie?"

"Yuna," Auron started, emphasizing her proper name, "is being walked to school by her father. That is the only reason you've been allowed to sleep in today."

"Look out, Auron's a real grouch in the mornin'," Jecht warned her.

"Yeah, I know," Rikku replied, rolling her eyes. Then she coughed delicately. "Uh, I mean, it was pretty obvious, waking up to hear you two argue like that."

"Jecht. We're not finished with this conversation yet. However there are things I must discuss with Rikkma first."

Jecht smirked at Auron and stood up, stretching his arms. "Fine, whatever." He turned to Rikku and tapped her on the shoulder. "Tag, you're it."

"Very funny." Auron strode past them and stood in front of Yuna's bedroom door, waiting for Rikku to join him. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah, yeah, hold your chocobos," Rikku grumbled, grabbing an apple out of the bowl on the table and biting into it. She dragged her feet as she walked towards the room, unwilling to start her day with whatever reprimand she was sure Auron had in store for her.

"Better be good," Jecht called after her. "I don't think Braska would be too happy to come home and find you two doin' the nasty in his kid's room."

Rikku choked on her bite and flushed, then whirled around and sent the half-eaten fruit flying through the air. To her satisfaction, it hit Jecht directly between the eyes with a wet smack and made him double over with a yell of pain. "Screw the apology," she muttered under her breath as she stomped past Auron.

"Hnn," Auron grunted in amusement as he stepped in behind her and shut the door. "So you can make yourself useful sometimes."

"Always nice to see you too, Auron." She felt more than saw Auron's disapproving glare as he looked over the room, and with an annoyed sigh began to gather the wrinkled bed sheets off of the floor and fold them neatly. "So what do you really want, mom?" she asked.

"We need to talk."

"We are talking," Rikku answered smartly, waving the sheet she was holding through the air with a loud snap.

Auron sighed and leaned against the door. "I meant about your reasons for becoming Braska's Guardian."

Rikku slowed down, straightening the creases out of the folded sheet in her hands. "You still don't trust me," she observed, surprised to find that it hurt. The Auron she had known only had to look into her eyes and ask her once.

"You are Al Bhed." He formed the sentence hesitantly, as though he was trying not to be insulting.

But he still said it, Rikku reminded herself, laying the sheet and pillow on Yuna's bed. "And?" she asked, forcing herself not to face him. If he wanted to be dense, she wasn't planning on making it any easier for him.

Auron sighed, and she could almost hear his patience meter running out of gil. "Surely you don't think your people will turn a blind eye to this Pilgrimage. Already they note it because of Braska's presence alone. You must understand what this will mean for you."

Rikku blinked and stared at the wall of Yuna's room in surprise. "W-what?" she asked, wondering if she heard his question correctly.

"You are Al Bhed!" Auron repeated with a note of frustration.

She turned around this time, not trying to hide the shock on her face. "Well, yeah. So I won't be able to go back to them after this." It was easy for her to say, since Rikku knew she wouldn't have been able to return to her people in this time in any case; Auron, however, didn't know that. The bigger mystery was why he even brought it up. She had been expecting him to lecture her on duty, responsibility and trust; she hadn't been expecting him to ask about the effects making a Pilgrimage would have on her personal life. "Why's that a problem?" she asked, and he looked at her as though she had grown another head.

"… What would you do, once this Pilgrimage is over?"

Rikku let herself fall onto Yuna's bed, slumping over and resting her elbows on her knees. "That's a pretty big assumption, you know." Her tone was light, but she kept her expression serious. "How do you know any of us will still be around after Zanarkand?"

Auron frowned and opened his mouth. "Lord Braska -"

"Braska's gonna defeat Sin," Rikku said without hesitation, pinning Auron with a knowing look. "If you didn't believe it too, you wouldn't be his Guardian."

He smiled faintly and looked down, acknowledging her words. "For someone who barely knows him, you place a lot of faith in Braska."

"He has that effect on people," Rikku said, dropping her chin into her hand with a sigh.

Auron shifted, and Rikku's eyebrows raised a millimeter. Did I just make Auron squirm? A smile began to tickle at the corner of her mouth; this morning lecture was going better than she could have hoped.

"While I find your dedication to be…" he hesitated, frowning to himself. "… admirable, I still don't see where it's coming from." Auron studied her. "I don't understand you. Therefore, I can't trust you."

"But you trust Jecht?" Rikku asked.

Auron snorted and shook his head. "I wouldn't go so far as to say I trust him. Jecht, however, is transparent. You are not."

"You have worse vision with two eyes than you do with one," Rikku muttered to herself.

"What?" Auron gave her a strange look, and Rikku shrugged at him.

"Nothing!" she chirped. "Listen, Auron… I can't tell you why I wanna do this. I can't even tell you that I'll stick around for the entire Pilgrimage," she said honestly. "I will promise you that while I'm here, though, I'll do everything I can to keep Braska safe from harm. I know what the code of the Guardian means. Protect the Summoner even at the cost of one's own life. I won't mess it up."

Auron fell silent, but Rikku knew he still wasn't convinced. She decided to try an old favorite. "I've decided to be Braska's guardian, and that's all I want." Rikku held her breath.

"Nothing for yourself, then?" Auron asked her. "You're willing to throw your lot in with us and forget the rest of the world while you're at it? A noble sacrifice without any ulterior motivations, I'm sure," he said shrewdly. "That's hardly a convincing reason for us to trust you."

Rikku's face dropped and she kicked at the floor. "But it should be enough," she said. She glanced up; Auron was still leaning against the door, frowning. She realized he was trying to understand her, at least somewhat; had he been completely disinterested in making an effort, he would have simply left the room. Still, he was rigid in his beliefs, and could only bend so far. Destroying his faith in Yevon would have helped immensely, but Rikku didn't want to be the one to break him. This Auron was just as driven as the one she knew, but he was still missing something… the bitter cynicism, but also the tolerant understanding that had grown from it. This young, unblemished Auron was much more brittle; if he was to learn that his faith was built on a lie, she suspected he would shatter.

I'm just as much of a coward as he is, she realized. He doesn't want to tell Jecht about Sin, and I can't tell him about Yevon. For some reason, the knowledge brought her a strange sense of comfort; he wasn't yet The Legendary Guardian, all knowing and unapproachable; he was simply a man trying to protect his friend. Maybe… I should try trusting him first.

"I… I can't go back," she told him haltingly. Well, it was the truth, in a way. "I can't go back to the Al Bhed right now, and I don't want to, either." She felt Auron looking at her and she picked at her nails. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back," she admitted reluctantly. "So I've been searching for something to believe in - something to live for. I've been looking for my own story." Also the truth. "And then I found Braska, and I'm just sorta thinking… maybe this is it, you know? Maybe this is what I've been looking for." She swallowed and cursed silently for betraying herself not once, but twice. I don't believe in sacrificing Summoners! But… but… "… I believe in him. I believe in Braska. That's why."

Auron seemed to consider her words, then shook his head with a quiet sigh. "Fine. I suppose you can stay, but I'll need to know what skills you can bring to the party."

Hey, he's letting me stay. He's really letting me stay! A huge smile broke over Rikku's face and she leapt off of the bed and began to dance. "You already know I'm a thief!" she said, waving her hand in the air. "If you need some items, then I'm your gal!"

"Hnn," Auron replied, amused by her antics. "I suppose that could be useful. So long as you only steal from fiends," he added strictly, causing Rikku to pout. "Can you actually fight with those?" he asked, inclining his head towards her crossed daggers.

"Well," Rikku said, scratching her chin with a nervous smile. In truth, she could fight with them, though in a fair battle she still preferred a fighting claw and targe. Then again, since Shinra had invented the garment grid, Rikku had never bothered to fight any of her battles fairly. "I can take care of myself," she assured Auron. "You guys won't have to worry about guarding me on top of Braska." Seeing the skeptical expression on his face, Rikku rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I can cast, alright? I'm sorta good with black magic." She bit her lip and smiled; that lie was almost as big as Lulu's chest. Auron seemed to buy it, however, looking relieved.

"Good. Dedication is fine, but I still won't allow Braska to bring along dead weight on something as serious as a Pilgrimage." He reached out to open the door and stopped when he heard Rikku titter dangerously. Looking over his shoulder, he scowled at her. "What are you laughing about now?"

"Dead weight!" she snorted, pointing at him. Finally bringing her breath under control, she smirked and brushed past Auron, trying to wipe the smile off of her face. "You wouldn't understand."

He shut the door behind him, and Rikku smirked when she heard him grumbling to himself. "…is a bad idea…" he was saying. "Rikkma," he called to her. "Just stay away from any more fighting than absolutely necessary."

"Ohh! That's so sweet, Auron!" Rikku teased, batting her eyelashes at him. "I didn't know you cared so much about me!"

"I don't," Auron answered with a glare. "I just think it's a bad idea to combine magic usage with mental infirmity."

Rikku stuck her tongue out at him and dashed into the living room. She pulled up short as she saw Braska there, fully bedecked in his usual travelling outfit and arguing with Jecht. "Hey, you can start the party now, Rikku… ma's here!" she greeted them, bouncing with excitement.

Braska looked inquiringly at her. "Rikkuma?" he repeated with a faint grin.

"Sowwy. I bwit my wip," Rikku fudged. Then she pulled her lower lip out and widened her eyes. "Wanna swee?"

"No thanks," Braska laughed at her. "I was told Auron pulled you aside for one of his lectures. I did not think it was normal for people to come out of those with smiles on their faces."

Jecht smirked and crossed his arms. "Must've been one helluva lecture," he grinned. "Maybe he's the one who bit your lip, eh?"

"Do you want another apple surprise?" Rikku answered hotly, feeling her face heat up.

"Well, will you look at that," Jecht replied, his smirk growing wider. "Now you two really do match."

Rikku's mouth dropped open as she glanced down at her chest. I hate your genes, Father, she thought miserably, noticing just how far the red of her blush carried.

"Jecht." Auron was, thankfully, not looking at her; he seemed to be focusing his Rikku Look completely onto Jecht this time. "The Pilgrimage hasn't even begun yet. Would you at least make an effort to be less irritating." The tone that he stated it in was clearly not a request.

"I call 'em like I see 'em," Jecht replied, unruffled by Auron's threat. He gave Rikku a sly grin. "And there sure is plenty to see right now."

"Ohh!" Rikku yelled at him, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring. "You're such a pervert!"

"Actually," Braska interrupted with a nervous cough. "About your choice of attire, Rikkma…"

The blush disappeared under Rikku's injured pride. Uncle or not, no one criticized her fashion sense. "What's wrong with it, huh?" she asked, planting her hands on her hips.

"Why, nothing of course!" Braska said too quickly, all smiles. "I personally am a fan of Al Bhed fashion. It's very… unique," he added. Rikku only glared at him, not buying his explanation.

" 'ey, there ain't nothin' wrong with showin' a little skin," Jecht replied, perfectly serious. Not that he was one to talk, considering that he preferred to travel in nothing but his overalls. Then again, Rikku wasn't thrilled to have someone like Jecht backing up her side of the argument.

"Yes, you're right, we should be free to wear whatever we deem is appropriate," Braska said soothingly. His words didn't stop him from reaching for the bundles that were sitting on the table and offering one to Rikku and the other to Jecht. "However, since we are inside of Bevelle and planning to visit the temple later today, I thought it might be best if we tried to dress a bit more inconspicuously."

Jecht had already torn open his bundle and unrolled it, and was eyeing the heavy priest's cloak with a look of utter disbelief. "No way in hell," he said flatly, glaring at Braska as he threw the offending cloth onto the floor. "How are people supposed to see my muscles when I'm wearin' this potato sack?"

"That would be the point," Auron cut in, snatching the robe off of the ground and throwing it into Jecht's face with a look of disgust. "Lord Braska is loaning you his personal effects for your own safety. Show a little gratitude!"

"Fine," Jecht mumbled under his breath. "I ain't gonna spend the rest of this trip lookin' like an Auron clone, though," he swore as he shrugged the long red robe over his massive shoulders.

Rikku hastily undid her own package and let out a squeal of delight at the outfit that came tumbling out. "This isn't Bevelle fashion!" she said, shaking out the tasselled vest and short miniskirt. Leather… feathers... buckles… bright dye… work gloves… and lots and lots of pouches! "This is Al Bhed!" she exclaimed, looking up at Braska in surprise.

"It was my wife's," he said carefully. "I hope you do not mind, but I thought it might be more comfortable for you to have something familiar, and you looked about the same size."

"You let your wife dress in that? It doesn't cover much more than what she's wearin' right now!" Jecht complained.

"Shut up, Jecht," Rikku replied by reflex, stroking her fingers across the costume. She never had the chance to get to know her aunt personally, but it didn't change the fact that she was still family.

"You do not have to wear it if you dislike it," Braska told her, looking embarrassed.

"What? Oh! No! No-no-no!" Rikku said, whipping her head around. "I love it! It's perfect! Thank you so much!" She clutched the outfit to her chest and bowed to Braska awkwardly. "I'll go try it on right now!"

Running back to Yuna's room, Rikku slammed the door behind her and peeled off her skimpy yellow skirt and puffed sleeves. Slipping into her aunt's old travelling outfit - she recognized it as such because of the plethora of pouches and loops that had been sewn into the clothing - took slightly longer due to the amount of buckles and straps she had to secure. When she was done, she twirled around and looked at herself in the mirror with a broad smile. The outfit was still scandalous compared to the ultra-conservative trends of the religious majority in Bevelle. It covered a good deal more than her yellow bikini, however; the thick leather padding around her shoulders and elbows even offered a small measure of protection. It was just practical enough for a Pilgrimage, yet still free enough for her to feel like a true Al Bhed. "Perfect," she sighed, hopping around in a little victory dance as she snapped on her garment grid. She threw open the door and raced into the hallway, eager to thank Braska for his unexpected gift.

When she barrelled into the common room, Jecht turned and smiled, giving her a thumbs-up. "Lookin' good!" he said to her. Braska and Auron, however, both froze.

Rikku glanced down self-consciously before looking back up at her other two companions. "Umm… no good?" she asked uncertainly, feeling uncomfortable with their prolonged silence.

"…Raenn," Braska mumbled, staring at her in shock. Then he closed his eyes and shook his head, a pained smile crossing his face. "Remarkable," he uttered. "You look so very much like her." He opened his eyes and gave Rikku a weak smile. "I'm sorry, how rude of me. It does look wonderful on you… Rikkma."

Rikku fell quiet, embarrassed by her new clothing. She snuck a stealthy glance at Auron, who was studying her with a hard stare. "What?" she asked, leaning on her hip and returning his glare.

"She does look like Raenn," Auron noted. "However she only need open her mouth and you can hear the difference."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rikku asked.

"Raenn had manners," Auron said, looking away. Rikku fumed.

"You are right in a way," Braska agreed as he stood from the table. "I think she sounds more like Cid."

Rikku fell silent with a nervous twitch. What do I do? Should I say anything at all? Ohh… stupid Auron! Stupid Braska! Stupid costume! It was taking enough concentration just to keep her hands from flying to her head and shaking it, and she jumped in surprise as she realized Braska was still speaking, and more importantly to her.

"… too distracting for the priests," he was saying. "I think we will be able to find you something suitable once we reach the marketplace, though."

Still nervous about Braska's sharp observation, Rikku felt her stomach flip-flop at the thought of any sort of delay in her attempt to contact the Fayth. "Wait a sec, what? I thought we were going to the temple this morning!" Rikku complained.

"Yes, we are, but we still need to buy those spheres," Braska reminded her. "Also, Jecht needs a weapon."

The man in question rolled his eyes and scowled at Braska. "You've been arguin' with me about that since yesterday. I already told ya – the only thing I need to score is a blitzball!"

Braska shook his head. "No one has ever heard of using a blitzball as a weapon before, Jecht."

"Umm, actually…" Rikku said with a small laugh, not particularly upset when the guys chose to ignore her contribution to their slowly heating argument.

"See, now you obviously never played blitzball before," Jecht said. "You'd think different if you had one comin' at ya. Just ask Auron."

Auron winced. "Lord Braska is correct. Absolutely no blitzballs on this Pilgrimage."

Jecht threw his arms up and groaned. "Aww, c'mon, Auron, you were wearin' armor!"

"No," he repeated, and Braska gave Jecht a tiny smile of triumph.

"Whatever," Jecht said, dropping his arms in defeat. "But I get to choose my own weapon. And you have to pay for it!" he added petulantly.

Braska nodded and ushered them towards the door. "Let's get started," he said. "It's quite a walk to the marketplace from here." He waited until the others filed out before him, then reached out and caught Rikku's arm, beckoning her to walk at his side. "Rikkma, are there going to be any additional supplies that you need?"

"Oh, you're offering?" Rikku asked with the beginning of a smile. Yes… maybe this won't be a total loss! "The Yevonites stole all my stuff when I got here, so I really could use a few potions and things…" she began.

"No," Auron cut in. Rikku jumped when he appeared at their side; she hadn't even noticed him slowing down to join them.

"What do you mean, no?" she asked. "Excuse me, but I think Braska was asking me the question?"

"Auron, it's really quite all right -" Braska tried.

"She's a thief."

Rikku flushed and grit her teeth. Just when I thought we were starting to get along, too. The way he said it made it sound like an insult. "I steal from fiends," she hissed.

"Therefore you don't need to be wasting our money," Auron told her. "Gather supplies on your own."

"I wonder if you'd still think that when you're sick with poison after getting stung by a Bite Bug, huh? I'm sure you'll say then that we didn't really need that antidote," Rikku sniped.

"Please," Braska cut in. "Auron, leave her alone. This is also a part of my duty as a Summoner, and I do it gladly."

"But my lord -" Auron protested.

"Enough!" Braska commanded, and Auron grimaced and stalked away from them. Braska turned to Rikku with a smile. "I am sorry about that. Auron can be a little overprotective at times, as I am sure you have noticed. Now… what was it again that you said you'd be needing?"

Rikku nibbled on her lip. She realized the reason for Auron's intervention as soon as Braska had mentioned duty. In fact, she was kicking herself for not having thought of it before. It was obvious enough from the slum that he lived in that Braska was not well off; he had fallen out of favor with both the Al Bhed and the Church of Yevon. Yet he doggedly chose to remain in Bevelle, raising Yuna on his own. She winced when she realized how thoughtlessly she had been about to take advantage of Braska's kindness.

"Oh, hey… don't worry about it," Rikku told him, smiling brightly. "I really can gather my own supplies, so you don't need to buy anything." Braska looked like he was about to protest, so Rikku raised her hand and put on a stern expression. "That big ol' butt monkey challenged me, and I have to prove to him that I can do it on my own! My pride is on the line, so don't interfere!"

"Hmm," Braska said, as though he could see through her thin pretence. "Very well. Pride, then. I will, however, still be paying for your robe, so be sure to choose one when we get there."

Rikku nodded in agreement and then scurried ahead of him, slowing down to fall in step beside Auron. "Thanks," she murmured to him under her breath. "I wasn't thinking."

Auron grunted, not bothering to turn to look at her. "Do you ever?" he asked.

"Gee, I love you too," Rikku replied sarcastically before leaving his side. She caught up with Jecht, who stopped when the street spilled open into the larger square. Bevelle's marketplace was bustling, jam-packed with people. He was looking at the motley collection of merchants and shoppers with a mixture of surprise and awe. "Hey, better close your mouth or everyone'll know you're a tourist and charge us twice as much!" Rikku scolded him.

"Damn," Jecht said, rubbing the back of his head as his eyes travelled over the multi-coloured tents and stalls. "We don't have anything like this in Zanarkand."

Rikku followed his gaze and silently agreed with Jecht; Bevelle's market square was an impressive sight even for Spirans. Before Sin was defeated, Bevelle had been Spira's largest city; it still was, though Luca came in a close second. That cheerful port city had always remained more of a seasonal gathering place for Blitzball enthusiasts, however, than a permanently urban setting like Bevelle. There was still nothing comparable to the sight of so many people gathered together to buy and trade in the open-air market even in Rikku's recent memory. It was without a doubt Spira's largest commercial center. "This is gonna be great," she cheered to herself, hopping eagerly in place.

"Don't lag behind," Auron told them as he passed the two with Braska. "If either of you get lost, we won't come looking for you."

"Gotcha!" Rikku yelled, already dashing towards the first stall to root through the wares offered there. She lost interest in the cheap trinkets quickly and raced to another stall, fingering the brightly-dyed fabric that was hanging in strips before the tent. A wry laugh caught her attention, and she released the cloth and looked over her shoulder to see Jecht smirking at her.

"This must be some kinda universal truth," he grumbled with amusement. "Women and shoppin' - alone they're fine, but combine 'em and you got man's worst nightmare."

"Hey!" Rikku said with a small pout, jogging back to his side so they could catch up with the others. She slowed her pace, remembered why she had originally sought him out and sucked in her breath. "Umm… sorry, by the way."

Jecht gave her a surprised glance and scratched his head. "For what?" he asked.

"You know!" Rikku replied, exasperated. "Yesterday… I mean what I said about abandoning your son. That was wrong of me, okay?" She peered at Jecht from the corner of her eye, trying to gauge his reaction.

Jecht's face tightened, but he sighed and shrugged at Rikku. "No harm, no foul," he told her offhandedly before moving away.

Rikku almost tripped over her own feet. That easy? she thought suspiciously. But I thought he really did love Tidus… She thought of Auron's appraisal of Jecht and studied him. Auron said he was transparent… is he, though, really? He certainly seemed like a simpleton, smiling lazily and heckling Auron to buy him a jug of whiskey when they passed a liquor stall. If Jecht was really upset about being separated from his own family, he certainly hid it well.

But he does care, Rikku reminded herself, filing his carefree behavior away for closer inspection later on. I won't be making any more assumptions about Sir Jecht from now on, no-siree! A flash of silver in one of the stalls caught her eye, and her introspective analysis fled out the window in favor of something much more important.

"Ooh! Pretties!" Rikku squealed, approaching the jewellery stall. "C'mon guys, can't we stop for just a little?"

The other men paused to look at her in dismay. "Universal, I tell ya," Jecht said as they watched Rikku paw through the hapless vendor's inventory with the eagerness of a child in a candy store.

"Perhaps it wasn't the wisest decision to bring her along for the supply trip," Braska noted.

"Women," Auron observed in disgust. "I'll get her." As he strode towards the stall, Braska casually turned to Jecht.

"I was married for two years," he murmured. "You?"

"Nine," Jecht replied, watching as Auron and Rikku began to argue with a knowing look in his eye. "Well, he's the one who was dumb enough to make the approach. I say it's his own fault, so we can make him carry the bags."

"Agreed," Braska replied with an amused laugh. "Poor fellow."

edited 7/16: minor errors about Luca, one major error on the length of Braska's marriage